UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA HEAD FOOTBALL COACH P.J. FLECK TO DELIVER KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT USA FOOTBALL’S 2019 NATIONAL CONFERENCE
INDIANAPOLIS – University of Minnesota head football coach P.J. FLECK will address and inspire more than 1,500 high school and youth football coaches and administrators from across the country at the USA Football 2019 National Conference in Orlando, Florida, Feb. 22-24.
In his second year as head coach of the Gophers this season, Fleck has directed his team (6-6) to the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., to face Georgia Tech (7-5) on Dec. 26. The Gophers notched wins against Wisconsin, Purdue, Indiana, Fresno State, Miami (Ohio) and New Mexico State this season. He has a career record of 41-35 and is 11-13 at Minnesota.
Under Fleck, a young Minnesota team (69.6 percent underclassmen) beat rival Wisconsin for the first time since 2003 and for the first time on the road since 1994 to reclaim Paul Bunyan’s Axe. The Gophers also downed Purdue’s potent offense, as they held the Boilers to a season-low in points (10) and yards (233). Minnesota beat Fresno State to give the Bulldogs one of their two regular season losses.
Fleck, 38, guided Minnesota to a 5-7 record in 2017, which marked the most wins by a first-year Gopher head coach since 1954. Prior to arriving in Minneapolis, he authored one of the most memorable turnarounds in college football history as head coach at Western Michigan University. The Broncos finished 1-11 in his first year in 2013 and ended the 2016 season with a 13-1 record that included a No. 12 national ranking, a Mid-American Conference championship and a berth in the Cotton Bowl.
“Coach Fleck’s innovative approach to teaching our game and instilling team culture comprises the heart of our National Conference,” USA Football CEO SCOTT HALLENBECK said. “As leaders across grassroots football gather to advance our sport, we look forward to learning from Coach Fleck and his experiences.”
“USA Football is a significant and trusted member of our sport’s family and the coaches attending its National Conference are the backbone of our game,” Fleck said. “Football captured my imagination at an early age. Our sport offers a world of elite experiences, friendships, fitness and most importantly, fun. I look forward to speaking at the National Conference in February and meeting as many attendees as I can.”
February marks the sixth annual USA Football National Conference, an education and networking opportunity for high school and youth football administrators and coaches to gain insight on best practices, innovation and smarter play. The conference drew more than 1,500 leaders across the sport in 2018, including international participants from Canada, Mexico, Scotland and Sweden. A member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the sport’s national governing body, USA Football trains more high school and youth coaches combined than any organization in the United States.
Past USA Football National Conference speakers include Pro Football Hall of Famers Tony Dungy, Bill Polian and Mike Singletary; Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden; Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis; XFL Commissioner and CEO OLIVER LUCK, Green Bay Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy and others. Experts spanning sport, medicine, and other areas address National Conference attendees each year propelling forward thinking across the sport.
The latest news about USA Football’s 2019 National Conference may be found on Twitter by following @USAFootball and #USAFootball19.
About USA Football: USA Football designs and delivers premier educational, developmental and competitive programs to advance and grow the sport. As the sport’s national governing body, member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and organizer of the U.S. National Team for international competition, USA Football partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and athletics to support positive football experiences for youth, high school and other amateur players.